we're home

I can't wait to go back.

young love

Nate's cousin got married on Saturday and we got to be there!!!
I love weddings. And I think Grace does too. Its about all she's been talking about for the last several weeks. She wasn't in the wedding mind you, but she knew it was going to be an awesome day. And of course, it was. Here she is looking much too grown up with Josh.

May I tell you I seriously love the stemware containing lemonade and fruit punch. They were feeling very debonair and somewhat older than their years (check out those puckered lips in the picture above!). And for the record, we are a serious no-kissing-cousin kind of family.

The reception was right on the harbor. Check out the view!

Things only got better. Guess who caught the bouquet:

Guess who had enough and decided to sleep on top of the table:

Guess who danced with the most eligible bachelor and then went on to shake her groove thing the ENTIRE time (and later told us, "it was like I was the center of attention or something"):

The bride and groom had a bubble send-off. I think it was a little too soapy for their liking...

But we sure had fun!

We tried for a fabulous family picture. I think we got one. How many of you can claim a family picture with a perfect bubble in front of your husband's face that almost resembles a monocle?


Congratulations Rachel and Tanner! Wishing you an eternity of happiness, joy, and soap bubbles!

fabulous

Work it Girl!

Perhaps I should add to my day job and become a hair dresser. No doubt I do a smokin' job for crazy hair day.

copy cat

Is it just me, or does this gal look like she's about to take her surgical boards? She's got the outfit right...

the deputy sheriff

This deputy sheriff works hard.

So hard in fact it is difficult for him to stay awake.

Three minutes before this hard slumber occurred, he was animatedly talking with His Girl about the intricacies of undercover work (y'see she's an undercover cop, at least in this town)

Apparently that knowledge allows him to rest at ease.

we were having fun, right?

Um, right. (Usually.)

Is an all-you-can-eat buffet what you really want?

It is for Grace, she can eat her weight in pasta.

It really isn't for Jimmy - all he ate was saltines and grated cheese.

At least there were no obvious hookers present during that juncture.

(Were we really having fun? Yes, most of the time)

stranger in the night

So this man shows up at my house tonight, says he's my husband, the father of my children, and that he plans to be around all weekend. He offered to put the children to bed, so I think I'll let him stay. Rumor has it, he's also made me some reservations at the spa tomorrow. Where has this handsome hero been?

dam hot

Last weekend we went to Vegas and to add to an already educational adventure, I decided the kids and I would go to the Hoover Dam. I had a lot of fun that day with lots of dam jokes.

Here I am - Hot Dam!

the nature page

Tips and Treasures for Enjoying Nature:

Always use proper eye protection when swinging from trees (or while at the park somewhere in Southern California).

Tracking: These are real peacock footprints and they are right by a real-life Diva!

Nature can be fun - and hilarious (for an off-color moment, read the sign on this sad tree Nate is leaning on)

When you find yourselves in the midst of a bamboo forest, be sure to stand straight and a tall and let me take a picture of you.

Pictures and outings are all thanks to our little weekend adventure we took to the greater area of Pasadena, California.

GNO

Saturday Grace and I enjoyed a little Girls' Night Out (but to be technical it really was Girls' Late Afternoon Out (GLAO
)). We had a blast! Here are some of the highlights:

"Mom, I am having so much fun and I'm not even getting in trouble!"

"Yes, I do have a crush on him, but only when I'm a mile or more away from him. When I'm up close I find he's not a real Prince, he's just a regular boy."

"She has the skunkiest voice ever!"

She dined on a bowl of pasta and cheesy-ness, accentuated with squirts of ketchup, and accompanied by a small dish of pickles. This was all chased down with a bottle of root beer. (Thankfully I got to have something else!)

Our GLAO was so much fun, I'm very much looking forward to the next one!

toasty

(not sure what this was all about, but I like it anyway)

How to Make Toast, by Grace

Toast is great! Here is how to make it,
but first, here is what you will need.
1. You will need some bread,
a knife, toppings (optional.)
This is how to make it.
First, take the bread out of the sack.
Next, put the bread in the toaster.
Then, push the lever down.
Then, wait, and read a book.
Then, POP! out it comes.
Then put on your toppings (I use cheese).
Lastly, you clean up.

I need to go back

California is really an amazing place. Of course there are the beaches, the mountains, the wonderful weather, and all that. But most importantly they have a real Chicago institution. And I do mean it is the real deal.

The closest one is a mere 1 1/2 hours from our house. We descended on it to celebrate my birthday (which was a few months ago, but I finally uploaded my pictures, I'm sure you don't mind!)

Boy, was it a celebration! I try not to put unflattering pictures of myself on here (because I do have a say about that at least on my own blog!), but I thought this one best illustrated the amazing tastiness of turning thirty-ahem, what I mean to say is reaching closer towards your mid-thirties.

Perhaps I haven't fully embraced my inner-mid-ish-thirty-ness. I think I need to go back.

jimmy nick

Sometimes Jimmy cracks me up. This is a post dedicated to him.




(Just don't tell him, he might get cranky!)

hard work

Sometimes when one is faced with big challenges,
One can dive head first...


And work long and hard...


With repetitive determination...


Until one tastes sweet success..


*It is important to note one may require having one's hair washed afterwards.